Canada's Opioid Deaths Drop 23% in 2025

Canada saw a significant decline in opioid-related deaths in 2025, marking three consecutive years of improvement after the crisis peaked in 2023.

Opioid-related drug deaths fell 23 per cent from 2024 to 2025, with an average of 15 people per day dying as a result of using opioids illegally. The yearly total reached 5,608 — down from a pandemic-era high of 8,040 in 2023, though still well above the pre-pandemic count of 3,598 in 2019.

"The progress we are observing reflects combined efforts on several fronts, including expanding access to naloxone and improved surveillance of illicit drug supplies," said Dr. Joss Reimer, the federal chief public health officer. "But the progress remains fragile. Illegal drug supply remains toxic and unpredictable."

The government also reported that stimulant-related deaths decreased year-over-year by 31 per cent. However, this progress is uneven across Canada. Many regions now see stimulant deaths outpacing opioids — including Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories.

The majority of 2025's opioid-related deaths, 78 per cent, occurred in Ontario, Alberta, or British Columbia. Of those three provinces, Ontario led the year-over-year decline with a 38.3-per-cent drop to 1,398 deaths. B.C. followed with a 21.6-per-cent decline to 1,841 deaths, while Alberta saw marginal gains with a 4.4-per-cent drop to 1,145 deaths.

Despite the improvement, emergency response calls related to drugs are on the rise. There were "significant" increases in emergency medical responses in Alberta and Saskatchewan, with a nine-per-cent rise in call-outs nationally.

The vast majority of opioid deaths in Canada, 82 per cent, involved non-pharmaceutical drugs. Seventy-two per cent also involved a stimulant, and 73 per cent were males.

Federal officials also highlighted a troubling increase in benzodiazepine involvement. In 2018, it was a contributing factor in 8 per cent of deaths. By 2024, that had risen to 34 per cent.

Health Minister Marjorie Michel acknowledged the work ahead. "Too many cities and communities are haunted by stories no one should have to tell. Those stories demand our attention and action." She put the economic cost of substance use in Canada at $50 billion per year, with $7 billion for opioids alone.

The government has opened drug analysis centres in Vancouver and Toronto and launched a national wastewater surveillance dashboard to track the drug supply. Federal efforts also include funding for treatment, border interdiction of synthetic opioids, and tracking of chemicals being found in the illegal drug supply.